


A Catalogue Of Moments

by Nymphcastle



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angus is a baby now, Depression? yeah its depression, I DONT MAKE THE RULES, i have no idea what this is tbh, slowly falling in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:34:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26077294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nymphcastle/pseuds/Nymphcastle
Summary: Glimpses into daily, domestic life as our fave lil Reaper falls in love.Slight AU : continuity errors and whatnot.
Relationships: Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	1. Heart Swells.

**Author's Note:**

> Lil fun project to keep myself from going insane between transfering my major online, working in retail and parenting in the age of 'rona.

**_"I don't want to sound trite, but you were perfect. The way you look could seriously make nature dysmorphic. I wish that you would kiss me to the point of paralysis, the way I flail my arms in front of you, it just embarrasses"_ **

-Los Campesinos, Heart Swells / Pacific Daylight Time 

Usually, Kravitz had learned, Taako was a ball of light and airy confidence that spread around the room in thick waves that smelled of warm vanilla and left glitter in ever corner. There were nights however, like tonight, when the petite elf was quiet, his usual careful braids replaced with loose silver waves that fell down to the center of his back, and sparkling blue eyes fixed on the simmering pot of chicken tortilla soup. He smelled more like sandalwood and earthy spices than anything sweet, he still hummed, but the top forty pop hits were replaced with Sufjan Stevens, the sparkling shorts became a pair of stained black leggings.   


He was still beautiful, even more so when his freckled nose scrunched up, crushed pepper flakes in hand and eyebrows knitted together as he dropped another handful of cilantro into the pot. The Reaper wondered often, how many people were lucky enough to see the young wizard this way, shoulders relaxed as he swayed to Visions of Gideon, a pale swirl of lavender from his fingertips sending the wooden spoon swirling as the scent of his creation filled the apartment. It felt odd, to think that a few months prior, Kravitz himself had never experienced this, when everything about Taako felt so much like home now. 

" 'cha starin at my man" Taako huffed, turning on one barefoot heel, his forehead level with the Reaper's collarbone. Kravitz laughed, a smile brushing across his lips as he reached a hand out to push a stray strand of hair away from his boyfriends cheek.   
"you" he replied honestly, letting his hand linger for a few seconds before letting it fall back lazily to his side. He swore he saw a brush of rose tint rise to Taako's cheeks, betraying the cocky exterior he tried so hard to maintain. 

  
"obviously, but like, somethin' on my face? Somethin' you want on my face" the elf smirked, flicking one perfectly groomed eyebrow up towards the ceiling. The tease sent a wave of butterflies down past the belt loops of the taller mans slacks, and he subconsciously bit down on his lip. 

  
"Gonna have to wait till the soups done though, 'cha boy doesn't burn shit" Taako quipped quickly, turning back around to add another dash of salt into the rich, bubbling mixture.

  
Yeah, this was home. Even before he died, Kravitz wasn't sure he'd ever felt this secure, this safe and warm beside another person. His parents had been preoccupied, something he and Taako shared in common, something they very rarely discussed outside of the gasping nightmares that would wake the silver haired man up in the middle of the night. As an adult, Kravitz had dated, even had a few relationships, one that some might call serious, but they didn't hold a candle to this, didn't compare to the rush of blood and magic he felt every time he saw Taako's face. Death had felt like a relief until now, something constant and unchanging, something he could depend on and trust. It was weird to feel those things towards another person. 

  
They'd moved in only three months ago, with boxes still unpacked in corners of the living room and mismatched dishes because Fantasy Ikea trips were hard to plan with the schedules they kept. Magnus had helped move, enlisting Carey and Killian for the larger bits of furniture Taako had apparently accumulated over the years. They'd had a party, with all of their friends, to celebrate the simple one bedroom downtown. Merle tried Karaoke, Angus ate at least half a dozen white chocolate cupcakes before Lup and Barry had to drag him home, thumb dangling from his lips. It almost felt like a lifetime ago now, with a few stray art prints hung on the walls and a bookshelf erected next to the flat screen television. Unsurprisingly the kitchen was the most together room in the house, with rotating racks of seasoning and hanging herbs. Not that Kravitz was complaining, he may be unsure of quite a few things, but his boyfriends cooking ability was not one of them. 

  
He stood back, leaning against the exposed brick pillar separating the dining room from the sitting area, arms crossed over his chest as the elf flitted from one side to the other, carefully serving two bowls of soup and garnishing them with a lime wedge and dusting of cheese before grabbing the bottle of Pinot Noir from the counter top chiller beside the fridge. Kravitz followed behind the wizard, smiling as he placed their meals on the glass table with a dramatic flourish. 

  
"Bon appetit, bone boy" 

  
///

  
Kravitz had never taken a bubble bath before now, but he totally got the appeal, especially with a lean, freckle covered body pressed against his, one shimmering leg extended out of the water and lazily draped over the edge. He could die, again, happy here, with a full stomach and muscle tension easing away under hot water as Taako lamented about the shrimp dish he had wanted to prepare before having to help Magnus during most of the morning. It wasn't real irritation, Kravitz had learned that by now, Taako would end the world for his friends if they needed him to. He'd definitely bitch and moan and swear they owed him 90000 favors, which he'd never collect, but if Merle called right now, the Elf would be dressed and on his way in twenty minutes with minimal questions asked. 

  
"and its just like...I'm a fully realized creation right? Not just a bippity boppity boo bitch" Taako sighs, leaning into his boyfriends fingers as Kravitz works in the shampoo from a delicate bottle to their side. 

  
"mhm. Did you get it worked out though?" he asks, pressing a kiss onto the back of the elf's neck, smiling at the trail of goosebumps that erupt underneath his lips.   
"Of course, I'm Taako, so yeah, but it's just frustrating. I really wanted that Scampi" the blonde pouts his lip out, crossing his arms over his delicate chest, tucking his extended leg back into the water as Kravitz lifts a cup to rinse the pale purple suds covering the silver waves of hair resting against his open palm. 

  
"We can always have scampi tomorrow" Kravitz whispers, against the sensitive spot between Taako's ear and jaw, his contentment turning to arousal as his boyfriend leans back into the touch. 

  
"waters getting cold" Taako smiles, reaching one arm up to cup the back of Kravitz's head, fingers tangling gently in the bun he'd carefully tied his dreads into that morning. They're out of the tub in one fluid motion, Taako's legs wrapped tightly against Kravitz's waist, their lips locked together in a silly and light kiss as they stumble back to their bedroom. 

  
They land on the bed with a soft thud, the deep gray sheets contrasting against Taako's milk white skin, his lashes casting shadows down against his impossibly high cheekbones, still glowing despite the lack of makeup. 

  
"You're beautiful" Kravitz whispers, deepening the kiss from its previous playful energy into passion. He could kiss him forever, biting at the fullness of his lower lip, tongue grazing against the slight gap between his front teeth. He can taste the wine and spice mingled with the minty toothpaste still resting on their bathroom counter.

  
He's had sex before, in the life before this, but it couldn't compare to what he has now. Taako is soft and warm, hands traveling up and down the broadness of Kravitz's shoulders and backs, the small coffin points of his nails swirling in cursive letters, spelling out their names, the date, words he can hardly make out. There are sounds and breathy swears, the smell of sweat and shampoo and lavender laundry detergent all around their bodies. The pace varies, depending on the time and their mood, but there's always that moment, as pleasure crashes over both of them like a wave, when their hands connect and Kravitz swears he can see small sparks of magic wrap around their fingers, melting them into one being for a split second. 

  
They stay for a while, basking in the afterglow with sleep chasing just behind them, which is a new sensation all of its own. Rest for Reapers is unnecessary, Kravitz could go indefinitely without it, but somehow, in the months that followed their first night under one roof, he found his body aching for those few hours of peaceful rest, with the lithe blonde tangled against his body, one hand lazily draped against his chest. He finds himself lifting Taako's fingers to his lips, kissing each knuckle delicately. before placing it back over where his once beating heart would have laid, and for just a moment, he swears he feels the softest of flutters beneath the outstretched palm. 


	2. Slack Jaw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter before a much much longer (and happier) one.

_**"It's not like I got hurt or broken, or ruined on the way. It's an ache and it shines through me. A Swallow in a cage. Oh slack jawed me, can't you see, there's so many rhythms and harmonies"** _

_-Sylvan Esso, Slack Jaw_

There are days when Taako can't get out of bed. 

  
The first time it happened, Kravitz was terrified, he'd come home from work, portaling in with sore shoulders and a headache blurring his vision after a particularly hard case took up his entire weekend. The silence hit him first ; there was no humming, no music playing in the background, nothing simmering or bubbling or being whisked to perfection. There was nothing. He noticed the darkness second, every light in the apartment was flicked off, every door pulled closed, just the way he'd left it when he crept out of bed in the early hours of Friday morning. He'd pressed on to the bedroom, a soft mound of blankets rising and falling, the same pale socked foot sticking out that he'd left days before. 

  
His hair was a mess, matted and tangled against his neck in a sloppy bun, his eyes red and swollen, lips puffy with dehydration. He didn't speak, didn't move, just blinked in and out of consciousness with muffled sobs as Kravitz tried, in vain, to lure him out from beneath the mountain of bedding he'd buried himself under. 

  
It takes Kravitz three days to call Lup, who shows up, wrapped in a long black cardigan with wind whipped cheeks only ten minutes later. She spends ours, curled beside her twin, fingers gently stroking at his exposed spine as he whimpers and cries between stretches of sleep.

  
Depression. Lup whispers to him beside a boiling tea kettle, a mug balanced delicately between her palms. He's had it since they were kids, but it got worse after Glamour Springs. He takes meds, pretends he doesn't, but without them the depression often drags him down to somewhere so dark it feels impossible to come out of. She gives the Reaper a number for a the doctor his boyfriend usually sees, tells him exactly what to say into his stone as they take slow sips of green tea, both peering into the bedroom occasionally. It's not as if Kravitz doesnt know what depression is. His mother had her fair share of episodes, usually after a period of mania that left him alone for days on end while she traveled the state in search of something more than a 10 year old boy and a fresh divorce. He doesn't share this information with Lup, and just allows her to break down the overwhelming sadness that is holding Taako hostage in the other room. 

  
She stays for two days, Kravitz sleeps on the couch, or rather, doesn't sleep. The desire to let his mind quiet floats away, and he spends hours watching early winter rain slide down the sliding glass doors to their patio. Occasionally he turns on the TV, receives a text from Magnus asking how Taako is doing, replies with uncertainty and waits for the medication to work. The pharmacist, when he arrives at Fantasy CVS on a cold Wednesday morning, assures him that it will still take a little time, but that his boyfriend would be able to move more than three steps without exhaustion taking over and sending him crying back to what Lup has dubbed the Depression Pit. 

  
Taako gets out of bed on a Friday morning. It's only for a few minutes, just a quick walk to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and take two advil from the small stash in their bathroom cabinet before crawling back underneath the covers. He leaves his face exposed, and the door open, which Kravitz takes as an invitation. The Reaper obliges, kicking off his shoes and sliding into the left side, his eyes closing within a minute of his head hitting the pillow. 

  
"It should have been me" Taako's voice is small, almost impossible to hear beneath the whir of their ceiling fan, but the words still manage to reach Kravitz's ear between rushes of air. The larger of the two men turns over, coming face to face with the teary blue of his boyfriends eyes, their noses nearly touching. Kravitz doesn't speak, just nods once, assuring Taako that its safe to continue. 

  
"I was so fucking sure, y'know, that it was going to be perfect and I got swept up in the crowd, wanting their applause to keep going" he sniffs, rubbing the back of his hand against his cheeks. 

  
"It should have been me" its sobbed this time, as the elf leans forward, forehead resting against Kravitz's chest, the latter placing delicate kisses along each tangled curl of hair, cupping the back of Taako's head as he lets it out. He whispers all the things he's sure the elf knows somewhere deep down. He didn't do anything wrong, it's not his fault, that blood is not on his hands. He wipes tears away from the freckled cheeks beneath his thumbs and inhales the now fading scent of sleep and shampoo before pulling the smaller man even closer against his body.

  
They stay there for hours, tangled together until the tears stop flowing and Taako's breathing returns to a normal pattern. Kravitz carelessly brushes his fingers against the chipped green polish on his boyfriends nails until the birds stop chirping and the sun is fully in the sky. Taako pulls himself away from the blankets, gathering them up and shoving them into the washing machine with a huff. 

  
"Coffee?" he asks, still more softly than his usual bubble laced tone, and Kravitz nods, weight leaving his shoulders with each step they take towards the front door. 


	3. Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grocery stores, kittens, pasta and confessions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had intended on this being a lot longer, but with a hurricane about to slam into my poor lil home, my brain just kind of wrapped it up early. I'm hoping we don't face a ton of damage, I'm quite a bit inland and out of the immediate surge watch.   
> Anyway! Thanks for reading!

_**"I give my love and all my love to you, my love. I feast on love, a beast for love, release my love. You're scared and unprepared for love, don't care my love"** _

_-The Shivers, Beauty_

"Cheese...not the shitty pre-shredded kind, my man, the pecorino...and um, eggs, but ya boy only does free range, we're not for poultry torture in this home" 

  
Kravitz stifled a laugh, grabbing a cartoon of organic eggs from the cooler and adding it to the growing basket as Taako skipped ahead of him, iced coffee dangling from his hand as he rattled off his grocery list. Carbonara was on the menu tonight it seemed. The elf had been in a pasta mood for the last two weeks, experimenting and perfecting a plethora of extra rich dishes. Not that Kravitz was complaining, he'd learned, recently, that Italian seemed to be his new favorite cuisine. 

  
Days like this were rare, which was probably another reason the Reaper had been so thrilled to pushing along a metal cart, following behind the slender man leading him on a manhunt for garlic stuffed olives. They'd been to three stores, borrowing a car of all things from Magnus, despite Kravitz insisting they could portal to and from anywhere in all of existence to get Taako the very best. 

  
_It **had** to be local_, the elf had whined in faux exasperation, tossing his long hair into a ponytail while applying the last flick of liner to his lids and tugging on a simple pair of black leggings. That had been the end of the discussion, and they'd spent a solid hour stuck in traffic just to get to the nearest fantasy starbucks to order an iced chai with extra vanilla syrup and a drizzle of caramel for the ever particular chef in the relationship. 

  
And so, they were here ; in Whole Foods, while Taako fussed over tomato ripeness. The Raven Queen had been kind enough to give her favorite Reaper a day off, something he hadn't expected when she'd called him into her chambers in the early hours of morning. She'd smiled, with sharp pointed teeth, the feather mask around her eyes ruffling as a rolling sound of laughter escaped her lips when he'd asked, nearly a hundred times, if she was sure. 

  
_Love is not the enemy of Death, dear child._

  
It was all she whispered before ushering him out of her chambers. 

  
"Do you like eclairs?" Taako's voice brought the Reaper back down to the present, the Elf's blue eyes peering at him through heavy lashes as he scanned the pastry box carefully. 

  
"I've never had one, actually" Kravitz shrugged, watching the light of a challenge rise to the apples of Taako's cheeks as he tapped a delicate mint colored nail against the glass, directing the attendant. 

  
They leave the grocery store 400 gold poorer, Kravitz loads the paper bags into the car, beside the others. It feels normal, it feels right. He holds the elf's hand while he drives, their fingers laced together and something about the pressure anchors him down to the human like form.   
He thinks he might be in love. 

  
///

  
The carbonara is exquisite, not that Kravitz had honestly expected anything less. He does the dishes, laughing as Taako finishes the bottle the champagne they picked up during their outing. He lifts the glass to his lips, hair down and cascading over the puff sleeved sweater he'd tugged on after pushing the windows open to let the early December air rush in.

  
The word keeps swirling in the reapers head as he towel drys the porcelain plates in his hand. 

  
Love, Love, Love. 

  
He's never been in love. He's cared for people, he's probably even loved romantic partners in the past, but suddenly the implication is changed. This, being IN love, feels consuming and terrifying and exhilarating, like he can't breathe without his lungs reaching out to Taako. He needs someone, specifically the petite wizard standing on the couch cushions trying to find a movie for them to watch before bed. 

  
He wants to tell him. Even sits the plate down on the counter , inhaling deeply before taking a few nervous steps towards Taako, who looks over suddenly, perfectly groomed brows knitted together. 

  
"you hear that?" 

  
Kravitz has to strain for a few seconds, ears trying to focus on anything other than the rushing wind and idle tv chatter. Taako has already lept off the couch, walking softly out the patio doors, eyes searching for something in the dark. 

  
Then he hears it. 

  
Soft meowing, from the parking lot below them, and four sets of shimmering green eyes peering up from beneath the blue dumpster at the edge of the fence line.   
It takes twenty minutes after Taako slips on a pair of pale lavender slides and drags Kravitz down the stairs to lure the kittens out from their hiding place. Standing with more patience than the Reaper has ever seen, Taako holds his hand out, two small pieces of chicken resting on his fingers as he repeats a series of small clicks with his tongue against the roof of his mouth. The first one, a slinky white kitten with its pointed ears tilted back takes a tentative bite, lingering just long enough for Taako to scoop him into his arms and wrap the wriggling creature in the extra length of his robe. The slight struggle is enough to send the second kitten, a bumbling orange thing, charging straight into the elf's calves, before he is promptly picked up by Kravitz. The little thing fits perfectly in the palm of his hand as it blinks up at him, seemingly calmed by the cradling nature of the Reapers long digits. 

  
"We're keeping them" Taako huffs, even without an argument from his boyfriend, as they carry the now content kittens back up to the warmth of their apartment.   
"Should I be making a run to Target then?" Kravitz asks, plopping the little orange ball of fluff down onto the couch, where he promptly nuzzles against the upholstery.   
"I'll text you a list" Taako smiles, pressing a kiss against the Reapers cheek before turning his attention back to the white cat still meowing in the crook of his slender arm.   
They name them Legolas and Gimli, and spend nearly 300 dollars on the most pretentious litter box and food bowls Kravitz has ever seen, but after a week it doesn't even seem like enough. Gimli, the wobbling, clumsy orange one, steals a part of the Reapers heart he hadn't even known existed before. Legolas, as expected, claims Taako as his own and spends every waking moment he isn't slapping his brother, curled against Taako's neck, purring contently. 

  
It's in that same position, lounged on the couch with Taako's legs draped over his lap, and a cat on either of their shoulders, that Kravitz says it during the season finale of Queer Eye. 

  
"I love you" it's fast and sleepy, his thumb brushing idly against the elfs exposed knee. It isn't returned, and that's okay, he's gathered enough from his time with Taako to know the kind of weight those words have in his mouth. The smile that he gets though, with glistening blue eyes fixed on him as their cats purr along happily, lets him know that he's exactly where he needs to be. 


	4. Love Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Babysitting, Museums and Hot Chocolate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Survived Laura, submitted my homework a week ahead of schedule and managed to finish up this chapter. Angus is 5 now, because my brain demanded it.

_**"Curse me out in free verse, wrap me up and reverse this. Patience is a virtue until its silence burns you.Something slow has started in me,** _

_**shameless as an ocean and mirrored in devotion"** _

_-TV On The Radio, Love Dog_

Kravitz wakes to the sound of tiny feet slapping against the floor of the apartment, followed by a shrill giggle and a cats meow. A smile climbs onto his face as he lifts his head from the pillow just in time to see Angus dart back down the hallway towards the kitchen, where the smell of french toast is in full bloom. 

  
They'd had the five year old for three days now while Lup and Barry took on a long distance work project that had them jumping from plain to plain in search of a Death Cult leader. The reaper had been surprised at how easy it had been, despite the knots in his stomach when Taako had first agreed to the extended weekend with his nephew. Angus was a good kid, from a shitty past, which was something he could understand. When Lup and Barry had announced their adoption plans, it had made sense. There had been a party when the paperwork was official, the auburn curled boy grinning from ear to ear as his new parents smothered him in kisses. 

  
You could feel the love radiate off him now, freckle covered cheeks rosy with life as he bounced and read and crawled into the hearts of everyone he met. Taako adored him, as much as he tried to maintain an air of 'mysterious, unbothered uncle', Kravitz had seen the elf staring in wonder as the blue eyed child took delicate bites of a cupcake or gently held his hand as they crossed the street to the park. 

  
Breakfast was done, and the cats were crying at their food dishes by the time Kravitz drug himself away from the warmth of his bed, rubbing at his eyes as he turned the corner into the kitchen. Taako was perched in his usual spot, hip resting against the dishwasher with a crisp white coffee cup, the words Hot Twin, carved into the porcelain. It had been a gag gift from Lup during last years White Elephant party, and had easily become Taako's favorite out of the 9000 mugs he kept tucked in the cabinet over the coffee maker. 

  
" mornin' lazy bones" the elf smiles, setting his cup down as Kravitz took a step towards him, planting a lazy kiss on the pale forehead of his boyfriend before reaching up for the cat food and shaking it out into the golden bowls on the floor, each cat prancing over and inhaling their respective breakfasts. 

  
"Can I have more st'waberries" Angus asks, face red and sticky from a combination of syrup and fruit. 

  
"Sure thing, Ango, but you gotta eat the eggs too" Taako yawns, refilling the tiny plate he'd bought just for the kids occasional sleepovers. 

  
"and then we can go to the museum right? You said that mama said we could and they have the new detective exhibit and"

  
"Yeah my man, just gotta get dressed, clean your messy ass up. Then it's on to the land of criminal justice" The elf snorts, running a hand through his loose blonde waves.   
"museum, huh?" Kravitz asks, pouring his own cup of coffee as Taako flips another perfectly browned slice of french toast onto a clean plate. 

  
"Yeah, thought I'd solidify my place as the rugrats hero by taking him to look at ancient handcuffs and journals of dead dudes. Feel free to stay home if ya need, I know work has been shitty" Taako slides the plate towards his boyfriend, swiping a quick finger at Angus before the kid slides down off the bar stool, the mess from his face suddenly disappearing. Kravitz finds himself smiling again as the wizard slips down beside him. 

  
"No...I wanna go. Maybe the ancient ones can give me some tips on necromancers evading arrests" he winks, bumping his shoulder against Taako's playfully. 

/// 

The museum is packed, which is to be expected on a drizzly day in early winter. Angus doesn't seem to mind, bouncing on the heels of his tiny oxfords and fidgeting with his sweater as Taako grabs their tickets. 

  
As promised, they hit the Crime Through The Ages exhibit first, the five year old frantically running from display to display, his eyes wider than the moon at each scrap of paper and carefully preserved baton. Taako stands beside him, still the most radiant person in the building, even in an oversized sweat shirt and leggings, a single braid of thick hair thrown over his shoulder and feet wrapped in the warmth of a pair of faux fur lined boots. He holds Kravitz's hand whenever he isn't chasing behind Angus, reminding the kid to slow down and wait for his very tired uncles. 

  
"Did you know that 21 % of private detectives and investigators are self employed" Angus asks between bites of a large pretzel as they stand in the food court. They'd only made it through a single exhibit before the kid began to blubber about being hungry, something Kravitz had come to expect as normal. 

  
"gotta be hella hard to file taxes" Taako shrugged in response, stealing a bite of the salt covered dough from the kids hand. 

  
"How did you do your taxes when you were adventuring" Angus looks up at him, innocent smirk on his face as he watches the color drain from the elfs expression. 

  
"well, when you save literally everyone in existence, the rules tend to be a little different" 

  
Kravitz laughs, watching the back and forth, something warm spreading throughout his body. 

The dinosaurs are next on their list, and Kravitz is thankful for the slower pace they seem to be taking as the kid carefully studies each massive skeleton. Kravitz finds himself doing the same, trying to find each difference among the the old reptiles. 

  
It feels odd, to look at the bone and know he probably is more like these fossils than the living, breathing beings walking around them. He finds himself drawn to a glass box, a fossilized heart tucked inside. It looks like a massive stone, the chambers still visible although completely solid. The child inside the reaper tells him to reach out and touch it, see if it can start again after the touch of death. He doesn't, instead turning in time to see Taako with his head tilted back in laughter as Angus makes gagging noises at the fossilized dung in a cabinet a few feet away. 

  
"Don't worry, you're still more handsome, fella" Taako whispers against his ear a few moments later, fingers sliding between his own, as if he could sense the shift in the reapers mood. Kravitz lifts the back of the elfs hand to his lips. 

  
"Oh good, I was really concerned that you'd found my replacement over there with that raptor" the reaper laughs, earning a playful eyeroll as Taako removes his hand.   
"Oh, absolutely not. Much more of a Brachiosaurus guy" 

  
They continue on through each exhibit before finally exiting out, only a small fortune spent in the gift shop before finding the playground and letting Angus burn off the remainder of his energy, and to use up the last hour or so before the kids parents arrived to take him home. 

  
Kravitz slips down onto a multicolored bench, the elf falling beside him, head resting against his shoulder as Angus runs up towards the slide. The warmth returns to Kravitz chest, and the now familiar, dull fluttering that he still can't place. 

  
By the time Lup arrives, eyes heavy with dark circles, Angus is practically asleep in the Reapers lap. 

  
"Rough job?" Taako asks, fussing over his sisters hair, which has wildly escaped its ponytail. She nods, sighing heavily.

  
"Barry's in worse shape, dude put up a hell of a fight, fuckin' evil baby dolls man" her blue eyes widen as she explains that the cult was significant bigger than they believed, and ended up in some nightmare dimension trapped inside of a church for most of the fight. 

  
"Thank you guys again. He loves you both, so so much" Lup smiles, buckling the now passed out Angus into his carseat, his mouth wide open, still clutching the tiny plush Sherlock Holmes Taako had bought him from the gift shop. 

  
"No prob, Kemosabe, he's a good little dude" Taako embraces his sister, making her swear to call him and give more details on the demon dolls after she gets some rest, which she does, before pulling off onto the road and leaving the couple alone. 

  
"You wanna take the long way home?" Kravitz asks, draping an arm around the thin shoulders of his boyfriend. Taako smiles, leaning into the touch. 

  
"You know it"

  
///

  
They walked for about 20 minutes, hand in hand as the sun slipped from the sky and the air began to cool drastically, sending a small wave of shivers through Taako's body as he clung closer to the arm of Kravitz's jacket until the reaper finally peeled it off of himself, draping it over the thin elf beside him. 

  
"Ohh, hot chocolate" Taako hummed, pulling his boyfriend by the hand towards a simple wooden stall, with a less than pleased looking teenager tucked inside, scrolling through her phone. The elf ordered two salted caramels and after a few huffed moments from the girl, they found themselves lounging on a stone bench beside the ice skating rink, illuminated by pale blue lights flickering in tune with the pop music leaking from the speakers overhead. 

  
Kravitz, it turned out, really liked salted caramel.

  
"You ever been" Taako asks, finishing the last of his hot chocolate in a single gulp before nodding towards the rink. 

  
"I think so, a long time ago, I don't remember much of it" Kravitz shrugs, pulling the elf closer against him once he's disposed of the paper cup. 

  
"Lup and I used to go, the few winters we lived with my aunt, she was a lot better than me at it, even then, I apparently got the clumsy gene" He smiles, that sleepy, glittering smile he often gets when thinking into the prettier days of his past. Kravitz had learned a lot about the elf wizard, the most constant thing being that he would only share what he wanted, at the exact moment that he felt comfortable. 

  
He'd told the reaper, while leaning against the patio, watching the first snow fall a few weeks prior, that the only time he'd really been happy as a child was in the kitchen with his aunt. Another time, over the sink with a toothbrush in his mouth, he'd recounted the moment Lup told him that she was trans. Each time he revealed a truth, or a story about his history, it was in mundane moments, and quickly brushed past in favor of a joke. This was no different, no sooner did the nostalgic look brush across his features did he carefully walk two fingers over the top of Kravitz's thigh. 

  
"You wanna get out of the cold, my man" a single arched brow rose up, blush creeping beneath the freckled hills of his cheekbones as he nodded back towards their apartment building. Kravitz happily obliged, only keeping his hands to himself until they were tucked into the elevator, his fingertips brushing along the contours of Taako's stomach and waist. 

  
He could taste the salt on his boyfriends tongue, smell the jasmine of his shampoo as they stumbled towards the door, only breaking their hurried and hungry kisses to unlock the door and fall inside. The cats meowed, the heater roared to life and the men dropped their clothing in a straight line towards the bedroom, Taako's head thrown back in laughter as the reaper scooped him up, letting the long, lean legs of the elf wrap around his torso as they fell forward. 

  
"I love you" Kravitz hissed against the smoothness of Taako's jaw, sending a new row of goosebumps down his spine. They took their time, savoring each kiss, the brush of fingers against skin, every sensation that seemed to set off a chain reaction of fire and passion with every new movement. 

  
If it hadn't have been for the fact that he was already long dead, Kravitz could have died happy with Taako beneath him, nails dragging down the constructed flesh of his sides as his teeth nipped against his neck, pulling him deeper and deeper until it felt as if he were in an endless pit of pleasure. He peaked, with a groan and his face buried in soft waves of hair, his entire body trembling as the taste of sugar and salt mingled on his tongue, his hips bucking forward as the connection was brought to its limit. 

  
He felt sleep begin to claw at him again, the warmth returning to his chest, spreading down to his fingers as he looped an arm lazily around Taako's form, the latter already half unconscious. It was love, Kravitz decided, the warmth pooling in the center of his unbeating heart, fluttering it at a quick, still inconsistent pace. It had to be love. 


End file.
